Profile management method, embedded UICC, and device provided with the embedded UICC

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for managing a profile in an embedded UICC, and more particularly, to a method for managing a profile in an embedded UICC that enables management information on the profile provided within the embedded UICC to play an essential role for providing communication and additional services, to be provided to a device existing outside the embedded UICC. The present invention also relates to an embedded UICC and to a device provided with the embedded UICC for the method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of managing profiles in an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) and mobile network operators (MNOs) interworking with each other and interworking with a subscription manager (SM), the method comprising:
 providing, by the eUICC, at least a list of the activated profiles to an external entity, the external entity being any entity external to the eUICC; 
 performing, by an MNO, a network authentication with a device equipped with the eUICC based on a profile selected in a list of profiles provided from the eUICC, the list of profiles including a list of the activated profiles of the eUICC; and 
 updating, by the MNO, a management profile managing the list of profiles in the eUICC based on an activated profile, 
 wherein the providing said at least the list comprises the eUICC providing said at least the list of the activated profiles, as management information needed for utilizing profiles, to the external entity, and also providing profile identification information and profile description information for the activated profiles, as the management information, to the external entity. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the management information is modified, activated, or deactivated by an authorized entity including at least one of the MNO and the SM. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the management information is managed through a management profile in the eUICC. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving, by the management profile, a management information request from the external entity prior to the step of providing. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the external entity is one of a device equipped with the eUICC, the MNO, and the SM. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the MNO updates the management profile according to current status of profiles in the eUICC when a new profile is added to the eUICC and an existing profile is deleted in the eUICC. 
     
     
       7. An embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) interworking with at least one from among mobile network operators (MNOs) and a subscription manager (SM), the eUICC comprising:
 a management information providing part providing information about types of activated profiles and information about a list of the activated profiles to an external entity, the external entity being any entity external to the eUICC; 
 a network authentication part providing the list of the activated profiles to a device equipped with the eUICC, as the external entity, and then making a network authentication with the MNO performed based on a profile selected in the list of the activated profiles; and 
 a management profile updating part making the management profile updated based on an activated profile by interworking with an MNO, 
 wherein the management information providing part provides the information about types of activated profiles and the information about a list of the activated profiles, as management information needed for utilizing profiles, to the external entity, and also provides profile identification information and profile description information for the activated profiles, as the management information, to the external entity. 
 
     
     
       8. The eUICC of  claim 7 , wherein the management information providing part is a management profile in the eUICC. 
     
     
       9. A device managing an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC), which is equipped with the eUICC interworking with at least one from among mobile network operators (MNOs) and a subscription manager (SM), the device comprising:
 a management information acquisition part acquiring information about types of activated profiles and information about a list of the activated profiles from the eUICC; 
 a profile list displaying part displaying the list of the activated profiles which was provided to the device from the eUICC; 
 a network authentication part performing a network authentication with an MNO based on a profile selected in the list of the activated profiles; and 
 a management profile updating part making the management profile updated based on an activated profile by interworking with the MNO, 
 wherein the management information acquisition part acquires the information about types of activated profiles and the information about the list of the activated profiles as management information needed for utilizing profiles, and the management information is managed through a management profile in the eUICC.